I went on.
"Who on earth has paid him off for being so fine by spoiling his smile ?" "That's quite a story, and I will tell it to you if you like.

Confound it! It's quite a surprising one, too.

Surprising in every way, but mostly in the way it knocked over poor Davidson--and apparently only because he is such a good sort.

He was telling me all about it only a few days ago.

He said that when he saw these four fellows with their heads in a bunch over the table, he at once didn't like it.